• Journal of the Korean Society of Industry Convergence
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• v.26 no.6_2
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• pp.1073-1082
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• 2023

Thermal sensors, also called thermal infrared wavelength sensors, measure temperature based on the intensity of infrared signals that reach the sensor. The infrared signals recognized by the sensor include infrared wavelength(0.7~3.0㎛) and radiant infrared wavelength(3.0~100㎛). Infrared(IR) wavelengths are divided into five bands: near infrared(NIR), shortwave infrared(SWIR), midwave infrared(MWIR), longwave infrared(LWIR), and far infrared(FIR). Most thermal sensors use the LWIR to capture images. Thermal sensors measure the temperature of the target in a non-contact manner, and the data can be affected by the sensor's viewing angle between the target and the sensor, the amount of atmospheric water vapor (humidity), air temperature, and ground conditions. In this study, the characteristics of three thermal imaging sensor models that are widely used for observation using unmanned aerial vehicles were evaluated, and the optimal application field was determined.

• JSTS:Journal of Semiconductor Technology and Science
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• v.15 no.5
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• pp.533-538
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• 2015

Thermal characterization of individual pixels in microbolometer infrared image sensors is needed for optimal design and improved performance. In this work, we used thermoreflectance microscopy on uncooled microbolometer image sensors to investigate the thermal characteristics of individual pixels. Two types of microbolometer image sensors with a shared-anchor structure were fabricated and thermally characterized at various biases and vacuum levels by measuring the temperature distribution on the surface of the microbolometers. The results show that thermoreflectance microscopy can be a useful thermal characterization tool for microbolometer image sensors.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Manufacturing Process Engineers
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• v.4 no.4
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• pp.34-38
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• 2005

This is a widespread requirement for low cost lightweight thermal imaging sensors for both military and civilian applications. Today, a large number of uncooled infrared detector developments are under progress due to the availability of silicon technology that enables realization of low cost IR sensor. System prices are continuing to drop, and swelling production volume will soon drive process substantially lower. The feasibility of micromechanical optical and infrared (IR) detection using microcantilevers is demonstrated. Microcantilevers provide a simple Structurefor developing single- and multi-element sensors for visible and infrared radiation that are smaller, more sensitive and lower in cost than quantum or thermal detectors. Microcantilevers coated with a heat absorbing layer undergo bending due to the differential stress originating from the bimetallic effect. This paper reports a micromachined silicon uncooled thermal imager intended for applications in automated process control. This paper presents the design, fabrication, and the behavior of cantilever for thermomechanical sensing.

• Proceedings of the IEEK Conference
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• 2004.08c
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• pp.872-875
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• 2004

In this paper, thermal response analysis of a temperature controlled three-axis accelerometer for high temperature environments with integrated micro-heaters and temperature sensors is investigated with finite element method (FEM) program, ANSYS and infrared thermal measurement systems. And availability to application fields from a viewpoint about short thermal response time is discussed. In this paper, the time of three-axis accelerometer for high temperatures becoming $300^{\circ}C$ by integrated micro-heaters and temperature sensors to reduce thermal drift characteristics was analyzed as a thermal response time of this device. The simulated thermal response time (time until SOI piezoresistors actually becomes $300^{\circ}C$) of three-axis accelerometer for high temperatures with ANSYS is about 0.6s, and measured result with infrared temperature measurement systems is about 0.64s. Experimental results using infrared thermal measurement systems agreed well with these theoretical results.

• Journal of Sensor Science and Technology
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• v.27 no.5
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• pp.280-293
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• 2018

The conversion of an invisible thermal radiation pattern of an object into a visible image using infrared (IR) thermal technology is very useful to understand phenomena what we are interested in. Although IR thermal images were originally developed for military and space applications, they are currently employed to determine thermal properties and heat features in various applications, such as the non-destructive evaluation of industrial equipment, power plants, electricity, military or drive-assisted night vision, and medical applications to monitor heat generation or loss. Recently, IR imaging-based monitoring systems have been considered for application in agricultural, including crop care, plant-disease detection, bruise detection of fruits, and the evaluation of fruit maturity. This paper reviews recent progress in the development of IR thermal imaging techniques and suggests possible applications of thermal imaging techniques in agriculture.

• Journal of Sensor Science and Technology
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• v.27 no.5
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• pp.294-299
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• 2018

This article describes the output properties of non-dispersive infrared carbon dioxide($CO_2$) sensors resulting from the changes in ambient temperatures. After the developed sensor module was installed inside the gas chamber, the temperature was set to 267 K, 277 K, 300 K, and 314 K, and the concentrations of $CO_2$ gas were increased from 0 to 5,000 ppm. Then, the output voltage at each concentration was obtained. Through these experimental results, two observations were made. First, both the $CO_2$ sensor and the reference sensor showed an increase in the output voltages as the temperature rose from 0 ppm, Second, the full scale outputs of the $CO_2$ sensor grew as the temperature increased. The output characteristics were analyzed based on two factors: change in the radiant energy of the infrared light source and change in the absorptivity of $CO_2$ gas according to the ambient temperature. Additionally, temperature compensation methods were discussed.

• Journal of Sensor Science and Technology
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.179-185
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• 2006

We have developed a noncontact temperature sensor using a silver halides infrared optical fiber. An infrared radiation from a heat source is transferred by a silver halides infrared optical fiber and measured by infrared sensors such as a thermopile and a thermal optical power-meter. The relationships between the temperature of a heat source and the output voltage of the thermopile and the optical power of a thermal optical power-meter are determined. The measurable temperature range using a thermopile and a thermal optical power-meter are from 100 to $750^{\circ}C$ and from 30 to $750^{\circ}C$ respectively. It is expected that a noncontact temperature sensor using infrared optical fiber can be developed for medical and industrial usages based on the results of this study.

• Journal of Sensor Science and Technology
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• v.30 no.6
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• pp.456-460
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• 2021

In this study, a Non-Dispersive Infrared (NDIR) Carbon Dioxide (CO₂) sensor with an externally exposed optical cavity is proposed for improving sensitivity. NDIR CO₂ sensors with high performance must use a lamp-type infrared (IR) source with a strong IR intensity. However, a lamp-type IR source generates high thermal energy that induces thermal noise, interfering with the accuracy of the CO₂ concentration measure. To solve this problem, the optical cavity of the NDIR CO₂ sensor is exposed to quickly dissipate heat. As a result, the proposed NDIR CO₂ sensor has a shorter warm-up time and a higher sensitivity compared to the conventional NDIR CO₂ sensor.

• Journal of Sensor Science and Technology
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• v.27 no.5
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• pp.300-305
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• 2018

The uncooled microbolometer thermal sensor for low cost and mass volume was designed to target the new infrared market that includes smart device, automotive, energy management, and so on. The microbolometer sensor features 80x60 pixels low-resolution format and enables the use of wafer-level vacuum packaging (WLVP) technology. Read-out IC (ROIC) implements infrared signal detection and offset correction for fixed pattern noise (FPN) using an internal digital to analog convertor (DAC) value control function. A reliable WLVP thermal sensor was obtained with the design of lid wafer, the formation of Au80%wtSn20% eutectic solder, outgassing control and wafer to wafer bonding condition. The measurement of thermal conductance enables us to inspect the internal atmosphere condition of WLVP microbolometer sensor. The difference between the measurement value and design one is $3.6{\times}10-9$ [W/K] which indicates that thermal loss is mainly on account of floating legs. The mean time to failure (MTTF) of a WLVP thermal sensor is estimated to be about 10.2 years with a confidence level of 95 %. Reliability tests such as high temperature/low temperature, bump, vibration, etc. were also conducted. Devices were found to work properly after accelerated stress tests. A thermal camera with visible camera was developed. The thermal camera is available for non-contact temperature measurement providing an image that merged the thermal image and the visible image.

• Journal of Sensor Science and Technology
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.47-54
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• 2018

In this paper, we describe the thermal characteristics of the output voltages of ethanol gas sensor according to the amount of radiation incident on the infrared sensors located at each focal point of two elliptical waveguides. In order to verify the output characteristics of the gas sensor according to the amount of incident light on the infrared sensor, two combinations of sensor modules were fabricated. Hydrophobic thin film is deposited on one of the reflectors of sensor modules and one of the two infrared sensors was equipped with a hollow disk (10 Ø), and the temperature characteristics of the infrared sensor equipped with the hollow disk (10 Ø) and the infrared sensor without the disk were tested. The temperature was varied from 253 K to 333 K at 10 K intervals based on 298 K. The properties of ethanol gas sensor have been identified with respect to varying temperature for a range of ethanol concentration from 0 ppm to 500 ppm. In the case of an infrared sensor equipped with a hollow disk (10 Ø), the output voltage of the sensor decreased by 0.8 mV and 1 mV, respectively, as the temperature increased. Conversely, the output voltage of the diskless infrared sensor showed an average increase of 67 mV and 57 mV as the temperature increased. The ethanol concentrations estimated on the basis of results show an error of more than 10 % for less than 100 ppm concentration. However, if the ethanol concentration exceeds 100 ppm, the gas concentration can be estimated within the range of ${\pm}10%$.